Bad Company
by Victoria Ann
Summary: *1st few chapters slightly edited* The gang goes camping and something happens to Monica. My first fic so please give it a try and R/R. C/M *FINAL CHAPTER*
1. Camping, Baby!

Hey all - this is my first ever attempt at a Friends fic, so please tell me what you think by reviewing. Takes place in present time except c/m could still have a baby. Chandler and Monica, Ross and Rachel are together. Phoebe and Joey are still friends. Constructive criticism is welcome, but don't be too mean. =D  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Chandler Bing, Monica Geller (did she ever change her name?), Rachel Green, Joey Tribbiani, Ross Geller, and Phoebe Buffay don't belong to me - they belong to the writers of "Friends". However, I do own Charles Shepard, so ha! ;)  
  
Also, I have little knowledge of New Jersey, but I do know there are black bears there. So if I make any mistakes please forgive me. I made up the town's name: Braymen. So anyway, please r/r. =)  
  
Bad Company Chapter 1: Camping, Baby!  
  
"Chandler!"  
  
Chandler Bing was forced to advert his eyes from the television screen to look at his wife, Monica, who was standing a few feet away from him. Her hands were on her hips, which were cocked to one side, and her face wore a stern expression.  
  
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to turn me on," he indicated at her pose.  
  
While Joey, who was sitting on the couch next to Chandler cracked up, Monica smiled slightly and sighed. "Why aren't you packed?"  
  
"Come on Mon, I'm trying to focus on the game."  
  
Monica glanced sideways at the TV, "Curling?"  
  
"Okay, so I have no clue what's going on, but it looks interesting enough."  
  
"Alright, you are getting packed. Now. We have to leave in two hours - preferably one and a half."  
  
"Fine, fine, I'm going," he stood and walked toward their bedroom, "but only because you're . . . you're being mean."  
  
Monica shook her head, then looked at Joey.  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
Joey nodded enthusiastically before saying, "Camping, baby!"  
  
Ross entered the apartment and greeted his friends and his sister. "Where are Phoebe and Chandler?"  
  
Monica walked into the kitchen to take care of the lunch dishes. "Phoebe's on her way over, and Chandler's finally packing."  
  
Ross nodded his head then walked over to the living room area. "What are you watching, Joey?"  
  
Joey shrugged, "Twirling?"  
  
Monica turned from the sink, "Curling!"  
  
Ross chuckled, then said to Monica, "Rach is still packing, I think she's bringing her whole wardrobe."  
  
"That's Rachel," Monica smiled.  
  
There was a quick knock on the door and Phoebe walked into the apartment.  
  
"Hey guys!"  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Camping, baby!" Joey shouted from the living room.  
  
Phoebe grinned, "I know! I'm so excited! It's like when you all went to London except that I'm with you this time!"  
  
"And also except for the fact that we're going to New Jersey?" Ross asked.  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess so . . . but it's still so exciting!" She jumped up and down a few times, causing the others to smile at her enthusiasm.  
  
Three hours later, all six friends were packed into Phoebe's grandmother's old taxi cab. While Phoebe drove, Ross snoozed in the passenger seat. Monica, Rachel, Chandler, and Joey were cramped into the back seat.  
  
They had been driving in silence for over a half hour. The five conscious ones staring out their windows at the scenery. The road that they were currently on was a long desolate stretch that Phoebe claimed would bring them to the highway they needed. Braymen, the town to which they were headed, was still quite a ways away.  
  
Finally, Chandler, becoming uncomfortable with the lack of noise, broke the silence.  
  
"So, uh, Pheebs . . . you've been to this campground before?"  
  
Phoebe glanced at him in the mirror and nodded, "Yep, I went there I long time ago with my step mom. It's a nice change compared to the city; very isolated."  
  
Everyone was silent for the next few minutes, then Rachel suddenly asked, "Is there wildlife?"  
  
"Yeah, a little," Phoebe replied.  
  
"Why, does that bother you?" Monica asked, smiling slightly.  
  
"No . . . no. Why would it?" Rachel questioned nervously.  
  
Chandler grinned, clearly enjoying this. "Yep, I even heard there were black bears."  
  
Rachel shuddered and sat back against her seat. She knew that Chandler was only trying to scare her, but she also had heard that there were bears in New Jersey. That didn't bother her too much, but she had been having bad feelings about this trip, ones she couldn't explain. She shook her head, looking out of the window again, and tried to focus on how much fun they were going to have.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Charles Shepard rose from the wooden rocking chair and moved to the cabin's only window. He was bored. The place was eerie, and hardly any light ever seeped through the towering oak trees surrounding him; even in the brightest hours of the day. But now it was twilight, and he felt more alone than ever. This cabin had not been his first choice, of course, but it was affordable. Besides, he only had to reside here for a few more weeks.  
  
His divorce had left him with little money, but a contact was able to find him nice little double-wide near his work place. However, the house was not going to be available for another three weeks. So, he had to settle for leasing this considerably small cabin in the middle of a New Jersey campground for now.  
  
A loud thumping noise echoed from the back the cabin, interrupting his thoughts. When he turned around to investigate, he saw a tall shadowy figure bounding toward him. Before he was even able to register what was about to happen, he felt a sharp pain on the side of his head, and he saw no more.  
  
To be continued . . . possibly.  
  
There's the first chapter. I know it's confusing but hopefully it'll start making more sense later if you all want me to continue. Thanks for reading! 


	2. The First Morning

Hey everyone! I got pretty good reviews so I thought I'd continue. I'll try to make this one a little less confusing. Thanks!  
Oh, and thanks to Cress for the info on Monica's name. To Marcella, hope you had fun picturing that - I sure did ;)  
To RossnRachel4ever & starfriend . . . thanks so much! Your reviews gave me inspiration to keep writing. =) Anyway, enjoy!  
  
Bad Company Chapter 2: The First Morning  
  
"Seriously, Phoebe, is your plan to have us all wet ourselves in your cab?" Joey whined from the backseat.  
"Alright, alright. Calm down everyone, I'll pull into the next rest area. There will be no wetting yourselves in my grandmother's cab!"  
Chandler smiled and leaned back. He desperately needed to stand up and stretch. Putting his arm around Monica, he said quietly to her, "How are you doing?"  
She smiled and leaned into him, "Alright, a little stiff, but alright."  
Phoebe glanced back at them and said, "I'm telling you, we're almost there, though."  
"We believe you Phoebe," Chandler said.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"We're here!" Phoebe shouted as she pulled the rusty car into a dirt driveway and parked.  
"At the setting for the Blair Witch Project?" Chandler asked, looking around.  
"Oh, don't say that!" Rachel huddled in her seat and looked cautiously out of her window.  
"It's alright, sweetie," Ross said from the passenger seat. "Chandler's just being funny, isn't he?" Ross shot Chandler a warning look.  
Chandler put his hands up in defense then exited the car, following Monica. They were parked in a clearing in a deep forest, and it was night. Two small cabins were vaguely visible in the distance, a light shining brightly in one of them.  
"That's the office," Phoebe said, indicating the light. Then she started walking toward it, the others following. Monica stayed close to Chandler's side, looking warily around the campground, at least what she could see of it. Rachel insisted on walking in between Ross and Phoebe, and Joey came last behind everyone.  
When they reached the office, Phoebe knocked on the door.  
"It's 11 o'clock at night, Phoebe, you really think the guy's gonna be up?" Ross asked.  
His question was answered when a tall middle aged man opened the door. He studied the visitors for a minute before saying, "Can I help you?"  
"Yeah, hi, we reserved a campsite for four tents? I'm Phoebe Buffay."  
The man was silent for a moment, then finally he said, "Alright, it's right over there," he pointed to a clearing in the trees about thirty five feet away. "It's got a sign that says '4' on it. Have a good night." With that he closed the door after returning inside.  
"He seems like a nice enough guy," Chandler said, still looking at the closed door.  
"I think he's the original owner's son. I heard he never really wanted the place, but when his old man died it fell to him to run it." Phoebe headed back to the car to get the tents out of the trunk.  
"Shh, Phoebe! What if he can hear us?" Rachel asked in a hushed voice, following quickly behind her friend.  
"I don't think he'd mind, I mean, it's just a fact. Everyone around here knows it."  
  
Inside the office, Mr. Binder, the campground's owner, didn't in fact hear the campers talking outside. He was too busy lugging a heavy plastic bag toward his closet, hoping to rid himself of it in the early morning hours.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The next day, 7:00 am  
  
"I don't see any good reason to shut it down, really." Clark Binder leaned forward in his comfortable chair behind his desk and looked up at the town's sheriff.  
"Really. So somebody getting killed on your land isn't good enough for you?" Sheriff Donovan asked before sighing. He knew Mr. Binder well enough to know that he would do anything to keep his business running.  
Clark stood up. "Listen to me sheriff. You know damn well that I'm not going to be able to make a living without this campground. Besides, I thought it was my choice?"  
"It is, I just don't want you to get sued."  
"That's not gonna happen. Trust me." The look in Clark's eyes was cold, and Donovan thought he saw something suspicious on the man's face. But, he just couldn't point out what it was.  
"Alright, well, be careful."  
"I will. Thank you for stopping by."  
  
Outside, the sheriff made his way back to the area where the body of Charles Shepard had been found. Autopsies would have to be done, but Donovan was able to predict by the condition of the body that the man's death was caused by a quick blow to the head, and then two gunshots to the chest and stomach. His eyes then wandered to the small group of tents about fifty yards away. Those campers would have to be warned. It would be their choice if they still wanted to stay here or not.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rachel opened her eyes and moaned groggily. Almost immediately she remembered where she was. She felt Ross' arm around her and said, "You awake?"  
"Yeah, I just don't feel like getting up yet. You?"  
"Same here."  
"Well," Ross hugged her closer to him, "I don't see any reason why we'd have to get up now, we're on a vacation, right?"  
"Right." Rachel smiled contentedly and was almost asleep again when they heard Chandler's voice outside of the tent.  
"Ross, Rachel, you need to get up. There's something you should know."  
  
Okay, lol, I know that was still confusing, I even confused myself a little bit. ;) And also it was a little shorter, but I wanted to get it written today and didn't have much time. Thanks again for the reviews, and let me know if you're interested in hearing more.  
Feel free to e-mail me at: valm1988@aol.com 


	3. Anticipation

Howdy! Thank you all so much for the great reviews!!  
  
Oh, and also, the "something that Ross and Rachel needed to know", in the last chapter, is that someone (Charles Shepard) got killed on the camping ground. (Lol, almost wrote "kissed" instead of killed =D) Just to get that clear. Anyway, here's the third chapter! Enjoy!  
  
Bad Company Chapter 3: Anticipation  
  
"I can't believe it," Ross stated. He had his arm around Rachel, and they were standing with the whole gang plus the campground's owner. It was around nine a.m. and Mr. Binder had just re-explained the situation to Ross and Rachel, having already described it to the rest.  
The sun shone brightly, but barely seeped through the full branches overhead, and birds were chirping happily. The day did not seem fitting at all to what had happened just twelve hours ago.  
Monica suddenly departed from the group, heading to the area behind their tents. Chandler noticed and followed her, lightly touching her arm, causing her to turn around.  
"Are you okay?"  
Monica nodded slightly and looked down at the ground. "I think so, it's just . . . someone was killed, Chandler! We're not gonna stay here, are we?"  
"I don't think so. I mean, personally, I don't think it would be a good idea, but . . ."  
He was interrupted by Phoebe, who had just walked up.  
"Hey you guys."  
"Hey Pheebs," Monica replied.  
"So we'd better get packing, right?" Phoebe acted her cheerful self, but Chandler knew she was disappointed. He paused, then agreed and led Monica back to their tents.  
  
After going back to his office, Clark Binder was staring out of a window at the six campers who now seemed to be getting ready to leave. He couldn't let them do that. Not only because he needed the income, but also because he liked the looks of the dark haired woman. He was pretty sure she was married to one of the men, but he could fix that problem.  
He thought for a minute, and a evil plan entered his mind. He then exited his cabin, heading back to the group of campers.  
"I just received a call," he said, raising his voice so that they could hear him clearly as he approached. "You can stay."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The next day, 3pm  
  
After being informed that the criminal who had murdered the man on the campground had been caught, the friends had decided to stay. Having only five days remaining on their vacation, they were determined to have a good time.  
It was Joey who had suggested a hike to explore the campground's property, and everyone quickly agreed it sounded like fun. It was another beautiful day in the small town of Braymen, and there was a cool breeze to accommodate for the slightly warm weather. Once in a while they caught a glance of a squirrel or two scurrying up a tree, frightened by the strangers.  
They were walking in a single file. Joey was busy investigating any obstacles in his path, and everyone else was just enjoying the exercise and fresh air.  
Phoebe jogged up to Ross, who was in the lead, and said, "So Ross, since you are this huge paleontologist guy, what exactly was the first squirrel ever to walk the face of the earth?"  
Ross looked at her, debating whether or not she was serious or just mocking him. He finally said, "You sure you wanna hear this? If evolution and gravity are hard for you to digest, this may give you a hernia."  
Phoebe nodded eagerly and said, "Why would I ask?"  
While Ross started explaining what exactly was the first mammal, Monica was in the middle of an argument with Chandler about what they should do if they ran into a black bear when she got the feeling she was being watched. A small movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention, but when she looked in that direction, nothing was there but woods.  
When she stopped abruptly in mid-sentence to look at something, Chandler said, "What was it?"  
"I'm not sure, probably nothing."  
  
As they continued walking, the opposite of nothing kept pace with them, ducking behind trees in case one of the campers looked back and caught site of him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Same day, 10pm  
  
Monica snuggled closely up to Chandler in their tent. "Isn't this great?"  
"Yeah, it is," Chandler replied.  
"Do you know what would be even better?"  
"If there were cleaning supplies and a huge dirty house located nearby?"  
"What?" Monica looked at him quizzically.  
"Nothing. What would be even better?"  
"If this is where we made a baby."  
Chandler sighed, sitting up. He smiled slightly, "Somehow I knew that was coming."  
Monica sat up also, an eager look on her face. "Really! Think about it. Wouldn't it be a great story to tell our kid someday?"  
"Um . . . we're not gonna tell him the details, are we?"  
Monica slapped his arm lightly, "No, of course not!"  
"Alright, well, if that's how it's gonna be . . ." Chandler began kissing her, gently pushing her back into a laying position. Monica wrapped an arm around the back of his neck and kissed back. When Chandler moved his kisses down to her neck, Monica smiled, anticipating what was to come.  
  
Meanwhile, in the office, someone else was doing some anticipating of their own, as he carefully planned out the events for the days ahead. He grinned slyly and moved to his window, his eyes wandering to the four tents located outside.  
  
The neon lights go flashing by  
  
Electric land is in my eyes  
  
The underworld is on the move  
  
And everybody's got something to prove  
  
The taxi driver delivers the news  
  
Somebody out there has blown a fuse  
  
We're passing the scene, a man is dead  
  
A thirty eight blew away his head  
  
A jolt of lightning sets me back a pace  
  
Feel like a visitor from outer space  
  
Please excuse me if I don't quite understand  
  
I'm just a stranger in electric land  
  
Willing to have a good time  
  
You live for the moment, the moment is fine  
  
You're up in your room, the lights are low  
  
Before you know it's time for the show  
  
A jolt of lightning sets me back a pace  
  
Feel like a visitor from outer space  
  
Please excuse me if I don't quite understand  
  
I'm just a stranger in electric land  
  
~ "Electric Land" by Bad Company  
  
So I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 3! I know I turned it into a bit of a song fic, but I promise I won't do that too much. Not that song fics are bad, it's just I hadn't planned on making this one. And in case you're wondering, yes, I am a fan of Bad Company, the band. =)  
Anyway, please review and let me know if you're still following and/or are interested in hearing more. Thanks! 


	4. A Familiar Face

Hey again everyone! Sorry for the wait but my mom and I went to visit my sister yesterday and she lives quite a ways away so I didn't have time to post it. Lol, I enjoyed your excited review, Tricia. I can't answer most of you guys' questions, but I can say that I *never* plan on killing off any of the friends in a story. I just couldn't do that. I can barely read a fic where someone dies, let alone write one. =D  
Oh, and also, when I said that Phoebe was upset in the last chapter, I meant over having to leave the campground because she had looked forward to the trip so much.  
Life tip for everybody: When you have a push-mower which has a bag, ALWAYS make sure the bag on right, otherwise it'll fall off while you're mowing and . . . well, you get the point.  
But anyway, yeah, I'm glad people are enjoying, and here's the fourth chapter.  
  
Bad Company Chapter 4: A Familiar Face  
  
Monica woke in the morning to Chandler kissing her lightly on the cheek. She smiled and opened her eyes, "What time is it?"  
Chandler glanced at his watch, "Nine-thirty." He was already dressed and looked like he had been awake for a while.  
"Wow, that's late for me." Monica sat up and stretched as much as she could in the small confines of the tent.  
"What about me?" Chandler asked.  
"You? Nah, remember when you were jobless there for a while?"  
"Yeah, thanks for reminding me."  
Monica grinned and got ready to go outside. "You would sleep until noon then. You've gotten better though."  
Outside the tent, the weather had worsened over night. The day was overcast and slightly chilly, and the impending scent of rain clung to the air. The lack of sunlight made it look as if it were still night in the forest.  
  
As she stood up, Monica wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. "Of course, I didn't bring a sweater or jacket."  
Phoebe walked up from where she and Joey had started a small campfire. "Wow. You, Monica, who is always prepared?" Phoebe smiled and started off to her tent, "I've got a long sleeved shirt you can wear."  
"Thanks, Phoebe." Monica followed Chandler to where Ross and Rachel were sitting near the fire. "How did you guys sleep?"  
Ross sighed. "Rachel kept tossing and turning. And in a tent that is five feet wide it was kind of hard for me to get to sleep, also."  
Chandler grinned at Ross's sarcasm and asked, "Why couldn't you sleep, Rach?"  
"I don't know, I guess I just didn't feel tired. But, Mr. Egotistical over here doesn't seem to be able to understand that." Rachel glared at Ross. The truth was that she hadn't been able to sleep because of the unnerving feelings that kept rushing into her head. She had hoped they would go away as time wore on, but instead they only got stronger.  
Rachel didn't want to tell her friends about these feelings because she didn't want to make a big deal out of it. They were most likely nothing, and she knew that especially Monica and Phoebe would make too much of them.  
Before Rachel and Ross could start to argue, Joey change dthe subject.  
"So guys, I was thinking maybe I would visit the nearest store today. Phoebe said we are running low on food already and that I can use her car. Anyone want to go with me?"  
"I'll go!" Rachel jumped up. She was pretty sure that if she got out of this place and back into civilization, just for a small amount of time, she might feel a little better.  
"Chandler, if you go can you pick up a few things for me?" Monica asked. "I think I'm going to stay here."  
"Sure, whatever you want," Chandler replied. "You trying to get rid of me?" he joked.  
Monica smiled, "No, I just don't feel like being social right now."  
Everyone immediately turned to her with shocked looks on their faces.  
Monica looked around at them, "What?"  
"First you didn't bring a sweater, and now you don't feel like being social? I don't think I like what the wilderness is doing to you," Ross stated, only partly joking.  
  
Joey, Rachel, and Chandler left an hour later, and the remaining three sat silently around the fire for a while. Finally, Phoebe broke the silence.  
"So what does everyone really think of Chandler?"  
"Phoebe!" Monica laughed. "Isn't that the second time you've asked that question?"  
"Yeah . . . yeah, it is. Maybe I really want to know!" Phoebe grinned.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
After driving twenty-five miles to the next town, the rest of the gang were separated in a grocery store, each assigned different things to get. Chandler was a bit embarrassed to be in the feminine products aisle, getting the pregnancy test that Monica had asked for. She knew it was a little early to tell, but she had said that she had a good feeling about the previous night.  
He was checking out the different types, wondering what the heck the difference was between them all, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.  
"Oh, my, god!"  
Chandler turned slowly around. Why did this always happen? "Janice!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Monica nervously paced back and forth in front of the tents. "Why are they so late? What if something happened to them?"  
"Calm down, Mon, I'm sure there was just a long line at the store or something. Everything's fine-" Phoebe was cut off when they saw Chandler, Joey, and Rachel walking up.  
After jogging over to meet Chandler, Monica looked him up and down. "Oh, you're okay!" Then she slapped him on the arm. "Where were you?!?"  
"Ouch! Hey, it's not my fault. I ran into Janice."  
"For two hours??"  
"Yeah, believe it or not. She insisted on telling each of us individually how her and her husband just got a divorce. Then, she asked me if I wanted to get back together." Chandler grinned, walking past Monica to hand grocery bags to Phoebe.  
Monica looked horrified. "Well, what did you say?"  
"Oh, I told her yes. I'm pretty sure I can make time for the both of you," he paused, waiting for her reaction, but when she just stared at him he continued. "What are you, kidding? Of course I told her no!" He grinned and walked back over to Monica. "She insisted that we could make it work, and I kept reminding her that I was married, then finally she just got pissed off and would only talked to Joey and Rachel."  
Rachel watched the two, smiling slightly. It turned out that getting away from the campground had helped. Only the feelings returned when they had pulled back into the small parking lot. She wished she had someway to explain them to her friends.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
11:23pm  
  
Monica smiled contentedly and she watched Chandler's sleeping form. She kissed him lightly on the cheek, then reached over to a corner of the tent and retrieved the pregnancy test. She had decided that she would take it tonight, and since the camp's owner never seemed to sleep, she would use his bathroom.  
She quietly left the tent and headed to the office.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Clark Binder watched the woman approaching his cabin. He didn't know what she wanted, but he did know that this was his chance to finally follow through with the things he had been planning. He took a deep breath and stood by the door, waiting to answer it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~ 2:56am  
  
Chandler woke up slightly and went to put his arm around Monica, but felt that she wasn't there. He opened his eyes and looked around the tent. Then he unzipped the tent entry and stood up outside, checking the campsite.  
"Monica?"  
  
But she was nowhere in sight.  
  
Okay, that's it for chapter four! I appreciated all the great reviews, and please r&r this chapter, let me know what you thought. Thanks!! 


	5. Where Are You?

Hey, I'm back with another of these annoying author notes! =) Thank you so much for all the great reviews. One seemed kind of angry, but that's all right. =D Here is chapter 5. And I must tell you, there probably won't be any more chapters until either Sunday or Monday because I'm going to my cousin's this weekend. Please don't forget about my story while I'm gone! ;)  
  
Bad Company Chapter 5: Where Are You?  
  
When Monica woke up, the first thing she noticed was the complete and utter darkness wherever she was. And when she sat up, then came the pounding headache.  
  
"Where am I?" she wondered aloud.  
  
"You're in hell," a voice said from somewhere in the blackness. "Or at least someplace similar to it."  
  
Monica strained her eyes to try to see the source of the voice. "Who's there?" Then it all came back to her; taking the pregnancy test, leaving the bathroom, and seeing some object coming at her but by the time she had tried to avoid it, it had been too late.  
  
"Aw, I was hoping you'd remember me."  
  
Monica stood up slowly. "Who are you? And-and, where am I?"  
  
"Okay, I know I answered that last question already. And as for who I am, you'll just have to find that out on your own."  
  
Gradually Monica's eyes adjusted to the darkness and she could dimly make out the man sitting in the corner of the small room.  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
4am  
  
"Chandler?" Phoebe jogged back from the office and up to Chandler who was nervously pacing back and forth.  
  
He stopped abruptly, "Where is she? Did he know?"  
  
"Mr. Binder said he hasn't seen her at all since we were all gathered out here yesterday. I used his phone to call the cops. They're on their way."  
  
Chandler ran a hand through his hair. "Dammit."  
  
Joey walked up, "We're gonna find her, man."  
  
"Yeah, for all we know she could just be taking a walk or something," Rachel said, joining them.  
  
Chandler shook his head. "No. She's been missing since two. No one in their right mind takes walks in the woods that late -especially Monica."  
  
He looked around at the woods which had once appeared to him as romantic and beautiful all at once. Now they seemed dark and menacing, waiting to swallow him up so that he would never be able to see Monica again.  
  
Thunder rumbled distantly from the west, a sample of the bad weather to come. Chandler was afraid. Not of the storm, but of not knowing where Monica was, what she was feeling.  
  
"Where are you, Mon?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Good luck with finding your friend," Clark shouted after Ms. Buffay as she retreated from the cabin. He closed the door behind him after going back inside. Then he watched out of his window as she delivered to news to who Clark figured was Monica Geller's husband.  
  
How could they already be this worried? It had only been at the most an hour and a half. He shook his head, then headed back down to his basement.  
  
"Are you behaving yourself?" he asked and he reached the bottom of the steps and turned on the overhead light fixture, allowing him to see his prisoner.  
  
The room he kept her in was small and cold, and had a dungeon-like feel to it. The walls, ceiling, and floor were concrete (sound's a bit like my basement =D). The only two things that weren't concrete were an old beaten up rug in the center of the room and the rocking chair in the corner.  
  
Mrs. Geller was sitting in the opposite corner, and she stood up as soon as he got nearer to her.  
  
"Who was that?" she asked, studying him warily.  
  
"Man, you're all questions, aren't you?" he grinned slyly. Then he decided to taunt her -just a little. "It was one of your friends. Apparently they're figuring that you simply got sick of your husband and left. Tough luck, huh?"  
  
"They wouldn't think that." However, Monica didn't look quite so sure.  
  
"You wanna bet?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Monica shook her head, assuring herself that even though Chandler could be a bit insecure sometimes, he would never think that. She knew that Clark Binder was lying.  
  
Then her mind wandered to how she was going to get herself out of here. Obviously, her friends didn't know where she was. And as much as everyone said Monica was freakishly strong for her size, she knew as well as he did she was no match for him.  
  
She wanted desperately to see Chandler right now, to be able to be in his arms. To hear his gentle voice telling her that everything would be alright.  
  
It was, wasn't it?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A week. It had been a week since Monica had first gone missing. Rachel had said that they should at least get a hotel room somewhere near while they waiting, but Chandler had insisted they stay here. Everyone agreed.  
  
They were now renting the other cabin, because the weather had been terrible ever since that fateful morning seven days ago. It had been storming almost constantly, only giving the town reprieve for short periods of time. They were lucky enough for the campground to be at a higher elevation so they weren't in danger of a flood.  
  
Everyone was inside except for Chandler, and they were all silent. Joey, Ross, and Phoebe were all sitting on the couch, while Rachel had pulled a chair up to the only window in the cabin to keep an eye on Chandler. He was sitting on a picnic bench outside, staring into space.  
  
It had been quiet outside for about an hour, but suddenly the rain started up again. Almost immediately it was coming down in torrents, and Rachel stood.  
  
"I'm going to go get Chandler."  
  
Everyone nodded in understanding as they watched Rachel pull on a jacket and exit the cabin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chandler wasn't aware of the rain pounding down onto his shoulders, soaking his hair and clothes. His mind was in other places.  
  
Seven days. She had to be alright, she just had to. She was Monica. His friend, his shelter, his life. Detectives and police officers were searching throughout the entire county and state of New Jersey. She was bound to show up sooner or later.  
  
Chandler distantly heard his name being called, but didn't really think anything of it until he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Rachel, and she was telling him that he needed to come inside. Finally she took one of his hands and tugged on it lightly, and he got the point, following her into the cabin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rachel dragged a soaking Chandler into the cabin and straight into the bathroom, handing him a towel.  
  
"Listen to me Chandler, I know you're upset, and I feel for you, I really do. But you need to stay positive, alright?" Her voice was gentle yet stern, and he nodded slightly. "You've got to believe that she's going to be found."  
  
Chandler nodded again, and Rachel noticed he was shivering.  
  
"Aw, Chandler, come here," she pulled him into a hug. "Everything's going to turn out alright." She only hoped she was telling her friend the truth.  
  
I feel a hunger, it a hunger  
  
That tries to keep a man awake at night  
  
Are you the answer, I shouldn't wonder  
  
When I can feel you whet my appetite  
  
With all the power you're releasing  
  
It isn't safe to walk the city streets alone  
  
Anticipation's running through me  
  
Let's find the keys and turn this engine on  
  
I can feel you breathe  
  
I can feel your heart beat faster  
  
Take me home tonight  
  
I don't wanna let you go til you see the light  
  
Take me home tonight, listen honey  
  
Just like Ronnie sang, be my little baby  
  
I get frightened in all this darkness  
  
I get nightmares, I hate to sleep alone  
  
I need some company, a guardian angel  
  
To keep me warm when the cold winds blow  
  
I can feel you breathe  
  
I can feel your heart beat faster  
  
Take me home tonight  
  
I don't wanna let you go til you see the light  
  
Take me home tonight, listen honey  
  
Just like Ronnie sang, be my little baby  
  
~"Take Me Home Tonight" by Eddie Money featuring Ronnie Spector  
  
There you go, there's the fifth chapter. Hope you liked and please review!!  
Oh, also, just so you know, the gang did contact Ross and Monica's parents to tell them the news. I just didn't feel like explaining it in too much detail. =D  
I'll get the next chapter to you ASAP. 


	6. Positive

Howdy! =)  
Wow, I can't believe how many reviews I got when I was gone! Thanks! Let's see, I apologize for constantly changing the genre on this thing. I pick one and it's like, "No, that doesn't fit . . . that one's not right either!" and so on. So yeah, sorry for that, and here's the next chapter!!!!  
  
Bad Company Chapter 6: Positive  
  
Monica had lost track of time. The only way she could distinguish day from night was by the movement and noise upstairs. There were times when the whole cabin got overly silent for a period for a six to eight hour period, and that was how she knew it was night and he was sleeping.  
  
He had only tried to get her to have sex with him once, but that hadn't worked out well for him when he discovered that it took two to tango, and he had let it go. Other than that, he had left her untouched. She was grateful for that, but not much else. The hunger, thirst, and lack of sleep had all blended together and were now almost unbearable.  
  
He hadn't been down into the basement for what seemed like days. That was fine with her, but she simply wanted him to turn on the light in that room for a small amount of time, because she was feeling like she was beginning to turn into an albino.  
  
When she had first met him, the day her and her friends had first arrived on the campground, Monica hadn't liked the looks of him at all. But, she had just come to the conclusion that he was the hermit-type who just preferred to be left alone. How wrong she had been.  
  
She missed Phoebe, Rachel, Joey, and Ross so much, but who she most longed to see again was Chandler. She missed him so much her heart ached every time she thought of him, even pictured him in her mind. Monica wondered where he was, what he was doing.  
  
She was sitting in the middle of the dark room, arms hugging her legs, thinking of Chandler when she suddenly thought of a terrible possibility. They might she was dead. Her friends, her family, might think she was dead. What if they had already had a funeral? She shivered, and tried to tell herself they were still looking, and would find her. She only hoped it would be very soon.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What if she's dead, Pheebs?" Joey asked.  
  
The two were alone in the living room area of the cabin. The others were either in the kitchen or outside, since the sun was shining for the first time in two weeks.  
  
"She's not. She can't be. Not Monica."  
  
"How can you be so sure??? She's been gone two weeks, Phoebe, two weeks! Don't you understand? That's . . ." he paused and counted on his fingers for a while. ". . . twelve days!" Joey stood from where he had been sitting on the couch next to Phoebe and began pacing.  
  
Phoebe looked at him questioningly for a minute before deciding it wasn't worth it to correct him.  
  
"Okay, so maybe that's a possibility, but we can't start thinking that now! Not while some shred of hope still remains that she might be alive." Phoebe stood also to emphasize her point. Suddenly, the phone ringing interrupted their conversation. Somehow, Chandler heard it from where he had been outside and came sprinting inside, almost tripping over the coffee table in his haste to answer it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi, this is the Braymen County Sheriff's Department. Is there a Mr. Bing there?"  
  
"This is him. What happened? Did you find her, did you find my wife?" Chandler asked frantically. There was something in the sheriff's voice that didn't sound right, but he didn't want to think about that.  
  
"No, sir, that's the problem. We've been searching for two weeks, but still have no evidence whatsoever to point her out to us."  
  
Chandler glanced at Phoebe and Joey, who were listening to his end of the conversation intently.  
  
"So, what are you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying that . . . we can keep searching, but there's a strong plausibility that we may never find her. There are a great deal of cases in the United States every year like this one, and regrettably many of them were never found until it was too late."  
  
"You . . . you think she's dead?" Phoebe and Joey looked at each other then back to Chandler. How could this be happening?  
  
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Bing, but I think it would be a good idea to not get your hopes up too much. We'll still be searching as much as we can, though, and we'll tell you if we find anything."  
  
"Oh, well, thanks, we really appreciate your effort," Chandler couldn't help being a bit sarcastic. He hung up the phone and sat heavily onto the couch.  
  
His friends rushed up to him, Phoebe kneeling in front of him and Joey sitting beside him.  
  
"What did they say?"  
  
"They think she's dead?"  
  
Chandler nodded slightly. "Yeah, yeah . . . basically. He just kept saying something about it probably being too late. Apparently they'll keep searching, but they don't have high hopes of finding her."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Clark Binder ran to answer the door when someone knocked on it. He opened it to find Monica Geller's husband standing there.  
  
"Hi, Joey clogged up our toilet, can I use your bathroom?" Mr. Bing's voice seemed to be full of faked cheerfulness.  
  
"Sure, yeah . . . how's the search for your wife going?" Mr Binder stepped aside to let the man enter.  
  
". . . Great. Yep, they've just found clues of where she is. They're gonna check it out tonight."  
  
"Oh, re-really?"  
  
"Yeah, cross your fingers," Chandler showed him his own fingers which were crossed, before walking off to the bathroom.  
  
Clark watched as the man closed the bathroom door behind him. How could they know? There was no way to know she was here!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chandler closed the door behind him and leaned up against it. He didn't know why he had said that. He glanced around the bathroom which seemed to be very clean for a anti-social middle-aged campground keeper. Suddenly something caught his eye.  
  
He walked over to the waste basket and knelt down. Reaching into it, he carefully pulled out the pregnancy test. Monica. He had bought her a pregnancy test.  
  
While packing up their tent, Chandler had noticed that it was missing, but had been too consumed with grief to think too much of it. Studying it further, he realized it was positive.  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed chapter six. Are you still into/understanding it? Please review to let me know!!! 


	7. Ammunition

Hey, thanks for all the terrific reviews! I'm sorry about the whole pregnancy test thing. That was a good point though. I wasn't even thinking about why it would still be in the trash after two weeks, I was just happy I discovered a way to make Chandler find out! Lol, anyway, let's just say Clark Binder is a very clean man but only when it comes to the kitchen/living room area of his house. =D  
Regina Phalange, I added you to my buddy list and will IM you the next time I see you online!  
This chapter may also seem like it's dragging a bit, but in this situation I can only think of a limited amount of space fillers to make the chapter long enough to be readable. =) So, enjoy!  
  
Bad Company Chapter 7: Ammunition  
  
Clark Binder was contemplating.  
  
If the police thought they knew where Monica Geller was, wouldn't they have told her friends and/or husband something about what type of place it was? If that was true, and if they had including enough details, that would mean that Mr. Bing and the rest of the campers knew Clark had her.  
  
But why would one of them come over to his cabin to use the bathroom of the kidnapper? Maybe to try to cause vengeance himself, before the cops came to investigate?  
  
He still couldn't understand how the hell they had found out. He was very, very careful to conceal the evidence. Or, maybe they didn't know at all that she was here and had received a false lead. He liked that possibility.  
  
But, just the same, he knew he'd better be safe.  
  
He sighed and walked over to a cabinet. Opening it, he pulled out a shot gun and made sure it was loaded.  
  
Company always on the run  
  
Destiny is a rising sun  
  
I was born, six-gun in my hand  
  
Behind the gun I make my final stand  
  
"Come and get me," he whispered under his breath as he positioned himself by the bathroom door.  
  
Rebel souls, deserters we are called  
  
Chose a gun and threw away the sun  
  
Now these towns, they all know our names  
  
Six-gun sound is our claim to fame  
  
That's why they call me  
  
Bad company, I can't deny  
  
Bad company, til the day I die  
  
Til the day I die  
  
("Bad Company" by, well . . . Bad Company.)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chandler dropped the test back into the trash and stood up. All this time. All this time he, they, had been searching. Yet she was so close. So close . . .  
  
He put his hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath. He didn't know how dangerous this guy was exactly, but Chandler was willing to risk everything to save Monica.  
  
Slowly, he turned the knob and pulled the door open.  
  
When he was just about out of the room, he heard a small, familiar clicking sound to his right. And then a bang.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I can't believe this." Ross sat onto the couch. Phoebe and Joey had just delivered the news to him and Rachel about the call. Now, Rachel and Ross were alone.  
  
"I know, Ross, me neither. But you know this doesn't really mean anything, right?" Rachel sat next to him with a concerned look on her face.  
  
"How could it not mean anything? I mean, it has been two weeks. God knows where she could be."  
  
"She's gonna turn up," Rachel wasn't so sure, though. She put her arm around Ross and kissed his cheek, hoping that her hesitance about what she was saying didn't show.  
  
"Mom and dad always acted like they favored her over me. Do you think they really did?"  
  
"I guess it's possible . . . I mean, but once she's found, they'll definitely change their ways," she replied, knowing that if they didn't she would have to have a long, long talk with them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Monica had heard the extra footsteps upstairs. She didn't know who it was, but figured it was another camper or possibly one of her friends using the bathroom. She wanted desperately to shout out, to scream for help but had tried that in the past already. It seemed like not much sound got through the cement ceiling.  
  
But, she knew that this visit was different from the others when, after a few minutes of silence, she heard the gun shot.  
  
Her heart began pounding, and she raced to the bottom of the basement steps, hoping that maybe the police were there and she was about to be rescued . . .  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chandler ducked slightly just in time to feel the hot bullet whizzing by his head, only a few inches from it's intended destination. He turned towards the direction the shot had come from and saw Clark Binder standing there.  
  
Chandler did the first thing that came to his mind and grabbed the man's gun arm, twisting it downward so the gun was pointed at the ground. Clark shouted out in pain and tried to make Chandler let go of him, while shooting the gun a couple more times. He only managed to hit the thick carpeting.  
  
Suddenly, Chandler heard a muffled, pleading voice behind him. He recognized that voice. He let go of Clark's arm and kicked him good and hard where it counted, then turned to the door which he figured led to the basement and was where the voice had come from. That door being locked, he slammed himself against it a couple times while calling out Monica's name. He didn't know if what he was doing was the smartest thing to do in his position, he only knew that he needed to get to her as soon as possible.  
  
Finally, the door gave way and Chandler stumbled onto a small landing, almost falling down the stairs that followed. He glanced behind him and saw that Clark had staggered back a few steps and was trying to recover from Chandler's assault.  
  
"Monica?" He peered into the intense darkness but couldn't see anything.  
  
"Chandler?? I'm down here!"  
  
He managed to take the steps without falling and finally reached the concrete floor below. He felt Monica press up against him and he put his arms around her. "Are you alright?"  
  
"I think so . . . what was that shooting?" Monica buried her face into his shirt, not able to believe he was really there. How had he found her?  
  
"He-he has a gun. I have no clue what to do now!" Chandler looked back up the stairs and saw Clark standing on the landing, looking angrily down upon them, gripping his right arm. The gun was nowhere in sight, and Chandler could only assume it was out of bullets.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What was that sound?" Phoebe asked Joey after hearing the first gun shot from the office. They were outside sitting on a picnic bench, letting Ross and Rachel have some time alone to think through the sheriff's decision.  
  
Joey looked toward the other cabin. "I don't know."  
  
"Wait a minute," Phoebe started running toward the building as a few other shots echoed from within it.  
  
"Where are you going?" Joey shouted, jogging after her.  
  
"Chandler's in there!"  
  
Dun dun dun . . .  
I hope you enjoyed chapter six! I wrote this one in a hurry so it might actually be more rushed than "dragged". I'm not gonna be too sorry about the cliffhanger at the end cause I know I'm gonna have the next chapter up within the next couple of days. =D  
Let's see . . . there was something else I was going to bring up . . . oh yeah! Believe it or not, this fic is almost finished (future ones will hopefully be longer, don't worry), so, I may start taking votes as to what you guys think my next one should be about. Preferably M/C, and I don't need a whole story line, just like a genre possibly? Thanks! And keep the reviews coming! They inspire me to actually finish! =) 


	8. Eager To Know

Hello, children!  
Hey, I just want to mention that I'm going to be staying at my Dad's for part of the summer. I'll still have access to a computer and will update on this story/start a new fic as often as possible, but probably not as often as I have been with this one. I'll be there from May 31st-July 15th, I think. Wish me luck! =)  
Thanks for the reviews, I really enjoy getting and reading them!  
  
Bad Company Chapter 8: Eager to Know  
  
Ross and Rachel looked up from where they had been cuddling together on the couch at Joey, who had just sprinted into the cabin.  
  
"What is it, Joe?" Rachel asked, sitting up.  
  
"Someone call 911. There were gunshots from the office and Chandler's over there," Joey said urgently, turning back toward the door.  
  
While Rachel ran into the kitchen to make the call, Ross stood up. "Where's Phoebe?"  
  
"She just ran toward the cabin, I don't know what she plans on doing," Joey replied as he ran back out the door, Ross not far behind him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Gesturing her over to beside the stairway, Chandler shouted mockingly up to Clark, "What's wrong? A little out of ammunition there?"  
  
Monica obeyed, apprehensive; not knowing what Chandler had planned. He was her only hope though, and she needed to trust him.  
  
Clark began staggering down the steps, seemingly overwhelmed and angered by the sharp pain in his arm and by the fact that Chandler had fought back. Monica didn't know what exactly had happened beyond that door, but she could guess a little by the way the man was holding his arm.  
  
She suddenly remembered the gunshots she had heard and did a quick sweep of Chandler, straining her eyes in the dim light to see if he was injured. He seemed alright though, and Monica was grateful.  
  
"Come on, bring it on, I dare ya," Chandler said, trying his best to keep a cool exterior. He saw the surprise on Monica's face at his words, and almost laughed at how un-Chandler this was.  
  
He just about forgot where exactly he was going with this, but managed to hold onto the reason. Distract Clark, let Monica escape. If only he knew what would come after that. The man was obviously mad, and Chandler now had no doubt that he was who had killed that other guy on the campground a little more than two weeks earlier.  
  
Suddenly, with alarming strength, the other man lunged down the remained steps and tackled Chandler, slamming him into the hard wall in front of the stairway. Chandler was suddenly aware of the fact that this man was a true murderer, not just a one-time killer. He wasn't in this for fame, he was simply in it for the thrill of killing.  
  
Trying to regain his breath, Chandler saw Monica step forward a few paces, evidently wanting to defend him. He could see the anger in her eyes, and immediately had doubts as to whether or not she would escape on his command.  
  
While struggling to gain control of the raging kidnapper, Chandler shot Monica a look that told her to stop. He then adverted his eyes to the steps, and she followed his glance.  
  
Monica suddenly understood what he wanted. She looked back to him and would have embraced him tightly and kissed him, if they weren't under such conditions. She knew he was a very caring man, but she had never imagined him doing this sort of thing. What she had expected him to do was simply shove Clark off to the side and get both himself and Monica out of there as fast as possible. But he knew as well as she did that wouldn't work out as planned.  
  
She made a decision and shook her head at him, hoping he would understand that it meant she appreciated it, so much, but she just wasn't going to do it. Instead, Monica came right up beside Clark, positioned herself, and kicked him hard in the shin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Phoebe ran up the steps to the small porch which led to the door to the office. She tried the knob. Locked.  
  
"Dammit!" She looked behind her to see Joey and Ross running up. "It's locked!"  
  
"What the hell is going on?!?" Ross asked frantically, coming up behind Phoebe.  
  
"To be truthful I really have no idea, but I do know it's not good whatever it is!" Phoebe pounded on the door, knowing it wouldn't help. She wanted desperately to get inside, make sure Chandler was alright, and didn't like not knowing.  
  
"Shouldn't we just wait for the cops to get here?" Joey asked, looking warily at the locked door.  
  
"They might not be here on time. I'm going in." Ross stepped back a few feet and signaled for the other two to move out of the way before kicking the door hard a few times, finally breaking it down.  
  
Rachel rushed out of their cabin and up to them, just in time to see the door swing inward and Ross begin to enter. She had just called 911 and told them something along the lines of what Joey had hurriedly blurted out in the living room. After many questions, the dispatcher had told her that a unit was on there way to find out what was going on.  
  
"Oh god, please get here soon," Rachel said under her breath, slowly following the others into the cabin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Clark did nothing except turn from Chandler and look at Monica in surprise. Chandler took that opportunity to punch him hard in the face, hoping the hit would knock him out.  
  
Luckily, Chandler had put all of his anger and desperation from the past two weeks into that punch, and it did indeed knock the other man out. Clark fell against Monica, and she immediately backed up, letting him fall the rest of the way to the ground.  
  
"Ow," Chandler said, holding his right fist. "I never knew I had that in me."  
  
Monica smiled slightly and stepped over her kidnapper. She was hungry, thirsty, and among other things tired, but for now she could forget those things. She was with Chandler again, and that was what meant the most to her right now. She loved him more at this moment then ever before, even more than when he had knelt down in front of her on their engagement night and verified to her that he did actually want to be with her forever in marriage.  
  
She put her hands lightly on the sides of his face and kissed him gently, marveling over the feel of his lips against hers once more. After a short but passionate kiss, she pulled away a few inches and was about to ask him if he was alright, when they both heard a crashing noise upstairs and ran up the steps to see Ross, Phoebe, Rachel, and Joey entering the cabin.  
  
As soon as they caught sight of Chandler and Monica, they gang rushed over to them, flooding them with questions and seeing if Monica was okay.  
  
Chandler studied Monica in the light, worried about how skinny she looked. Then he remembered something. When the questions from their friends died down a little, and everyone wandered out to watch for cops, Chandler stopped Monica on the porch.  
  
"Mon?" he said quietly.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
He gently put a hand on her stomach, then looked into her eyes. She nodded a little and hugged him.  
  
"Is it . . . alright?" Chandler asked, returning the hug.  
  
"I don't know, Chandler . . . I hope so."  
  
Okay so there's Chapter 8! I tried desperately to find a song that went with that situation but my search turned up nothing. So, you'll just have to make up your own soundtrack I guess. =D I'll have the next chapter up ASAP, and please review! I haven't gotten any reviews lately and that disappoints me! ;) j/k, but a review or two would be nice. lol  
To Regina Phalange: Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna make the next one Monica/Chandler romance type . . . but I don't know what the main story line will be. I'll think on it. Thanks though! =) 


	9. Truly Madly Deeply

Before I start, I forgot before to thank Kristine individually on the last chapter for your review. I was so happy when I read that! I almost cried. =) So thank you!  
Also, I just want to say that I don't have too much medical knowledge, so if you do, and if you see anything that doesn't seem right in the following chapter, I apologize.  
And thanks to everyone for all the reviews. Here's the next (and last) chapter!  
  
Bad Company Chapter 9: Truly Madly Deeply  
  
When the police finally arrived, they took Clark Binder into custody (he had eventually regained consciousness), and then called an ambulance for Monica. They said she didn't look too bad off, but doctors needed to make sure she didn't have any physical problems, and noone disagreed.  
  
Chandler rode with her, because she insisted, to the hospital while the rest of the gang stayed behind to pack up their stuff. The two stayed as close together as possible, never wanting to lose sight of each other again. Two weeks was enough for both of them.  
  
In the hospital room, after the doctor had left to get the results of Monica's tests, Chandler stood up from where he had been sitting on a chair off to the side, and walked over to her.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
Monica smiled slightly and looked up at him. She was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, looking nervous.  
  
"Alright, I'm just . . . scared."  
  
He sat next to her, putting an arm around her. He pulled her closer. "Everything's going to be okay, you know."  
  
"I know, but I . . . I really wanted this. I've wanted this for a really long time."  
  
Chandler nodded and kissed the top of her head. "I know, me too."  
  
They sat in silence for about fifteen minutes, deep in thought. After a while the doctor walked back in and Chandler stood up.  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Bing, I have the results of Monica's pregnancy tests," he said, holding up a folder.  
  
Chandler and Monica nodded, listening intently to what he was about to say.  
  
"And, it looks like it's a living, healthy baby. It's developing very nicely. I mean, I'm personally quite surprised, seeing how you were . . . you know." The doctor stopped there, not wanted to upset her.  
  
Monica had to let the news sink in. It was seriously not what she had expected. She had resorted to simply believing that the baby was not alive. She didn't believe it could be after what she had been through. She glanced over at Chandler, who was grinning at her, then finally realized what exactly the doctor had said.  
  
"Oh my god," she said, standing up. "We're gonna have a baby?"  
  
"Yep, that's what the test results confirm. Congratulations."  
  
She ran over to Chandler and hugged him tightly. "We're gonna have a baby!"  
  
Chandler grinned again and hugged her back. Everything really was going to be alright.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
8 ½ months later, New York City General Hospital  
  
Monica had no idea that something she had longed for almost her whole life could hurt her so bad. She grasped Chandler's hand and gripped it tightly as another contraction hit.  
  
"Ow, it's okay Mon, just a little while longer . . . ow." Chandler was running out of things to say to comfort his wife, let alone trying to shake off the weird feeling of having an angry, pained, screaming women connected to his hand. He only hoped he still had feeling in it when this was over.  
  
The past eight months had gone fairly well. After Monica and Chandler had passed on the news about the baby to their friends, they had all gone back to New York and things once again turned to normal. Almost. Once in a while, Monica had had nightmares that Chandler was forced to wake her up from, and the emotional scars would probably always be there. Hardly any talk at all of those two weeks ever found it's way into the friend's conversations, but Monica had told Chandler about every minute of it, and she assured him that she felt better after getting it out of her system. Lately there hadn't been any nightmares, and she'd been acting more and more like her normal self. She acted the same way over the baby as Chandler had always imagined she would. Everything had to be as near to perfect as possible. Rachel's old room got changed into a nursery, and everything around the apartment was baby-proofed.  
  
His mind was yanked back to the hospital room when Monica gripped his hand even tighter and started shouting something about him doing this for her.  
  
He smiled a little and kissed her on the forehead, hoping to calm her down a little. "Sorry sweetie, as much as I'd like to, that would be impossible in so many ways."  
  
Monica shrugged. At least she had tried. Suddenly she heard the doctor say that it was time to start pushing. "Oh, great!" she said, but obeyed. She soon discovered this part was even more painful than the contractions and instantly felt for Chandler because of how hard she was squeezing his hand. She attempted to loosen her grip a little but never really paid any attention to if she actually did or not.  
  
Ten minutes later, the sound of a baby's crying filled the room, and Chandler stood up a little in order to see their child's sex. He and Monica had agreed before to wait and find out on this day. Now he grinned at the fact that it was a boy.  
  
He leaned down and kissed Monica gently on the lips and told her the news, then watched as a nurse wrapped the baby in a cloth and laid him across his mother's chest. A tear rolled down Monica's face as she smiled and looked into her son's eyes. She could already see that he had his dad's eyes.  
  
Monica looked over at Chandler and said, "So you probably wouldn't like him to be named after you?"  
  
Chandler grinned. "Didn't I ever tell you how much I got teased for that name in school?"  
  
Laughing, Monica looked back at the baby. "Maybe something more common then? Say, Alex?"  
  
"I like Alex," Chandler said, leaning in to see his baby more closely. "Alex it is."  
  
Monica sighed happily as she studied Alex's features. There would be hard times ahead, she knew that. But she knew she would be able to get through anything with her husband at her side. Her prince, her soul mate, her friend.  
  
I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy  
  
I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need  
  
I'll love you more with every breath, truly madly deeply do  
  
I will be faithful cause I'm counting  
  
On a new beginning, a reason for living  
  
A deeper meaning, yeah  
  
I wanna stand with you on a mountain  
  
I wanna bathe with you in the sea  
  
I wanna lay like this forever  
  
Until the sky falls down on me  
  
And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky  
  
I'll make a wish, send it to heaven then make you want to cry  
  
They're tears of joy for all the pleasure and the certainty  
  
When we're surrounded by the comfort and protection  
  
Of the highest powers, in lonely hours  
  
The tears devour you  
  
I wanna stand with you on a mountain  
  
I wanna bathe with you in the sea  
  
I wanna lay like this forever  
  
Until the sky falls down on me  
  
Oh, can you see it baby  
  
Don't have to close your eyes  
  
Cause it's standing right before you  
  
All that you need will truly come  
  
I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy  
  
I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need  
  
I'll love you more with every breath, truly madly deeply do  
  
I wanna stand with you on a mountain  
  
I wanna bathe with you in the sea  
  
I wanna lay like this forever  
  
Until the sky falls down on me  
  
"Truly, Madly, Deeply" by Savage Garden  
  
Yep folks, that was the last chapter. I know it was short, but it was good enough of a story to be that short, right? Am I right? =D Please review. Tell me what you thought.  
Let's see, as for future stories . . . like I said before I'm leaving the 31st of June, and while I get settled at my dad's I probably won't be starting any new ones. But, I promise you that (if you would like), I'll be back with more ASAP. Most likely C/M stories.  
Again, please review. What did you think of the ending? You can e- mail me if you want at: valm1988@aol.com (If you e-mail me I'll be able to e-mail you back =))  
TTFN! (Is anyone even using that anymore? lol) 


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